Tonight, we hosted the YouTube Sub-Sahara Africa Creator Awards, to celebrate the incredible creativity and talent on YouTube from across the continent.

And what a night it was! Top artists Vanessa Mdee and Timaya shared the stage with some leading African YouTube stars including Theodora Lee, Sisi Yemmie and Tofo Tofo! Grant Hinds and ‘An African City’ star, Maame Adjei hosted the festivities, with awards for 22 categories including the channel in each country with the most subscribers. We also celebrated a huge milestone for Yellow Brick Cinema, who were awarded the international Gold Play Button Award for hitting 1 million subscribers.

YouTube is about the opportunity for people to express themselves. Creators across Africa are using YouTube to find their voice, connect with audiences around the world and build channels while earning revenue from it. The number of hours of video content in Africa being uploaded has doubled year over year for the past two years. And the audience has grown with it. Watchtime on mobile phones is growing 120% year over year.

The cost of data and the processing speed of many phones in Africa often make it challenging to enjoy watching video online. A year ago we rolled out YouTube Offline, which helps you enjoy a smooth, buffer-free version of YouTube during periods of low to no connectivity. And we're working on more ways to help you deal with data cost and connectivity difficulties. Tonight was about celebrating the award winners and creators you love, and all those who use YouTube to express themselves and who give a voice to Africa’s stories. Congratulations for telling it boldly!